Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to chip modules. Specifically, the invention pertains to a chip module that is particularly suited for implantation in a smart card body. The module has a carrier and a chip mounted on the carrier.
Chip modules of this type are known in a large number of greatly varying embodiments.
The core of any chip module is, as already indicated by the designation, a (semiconductor) chip. The chip is bonded with an adhesive onto a carrier. Generally, the carrier is produced from epoxy resin or the like, and the chip is electrically connected by means of bonding or the like to conductive structures provided on the carrier.
If the chip module is provided for use in a smart card having external contact points (provided with contacts), then the conductive structures of the carrier comprise at least the contact areas (surface contacts) of the smart card to be produced. If the chip module is provided for use in a smart card not provided with contacts, that is to say a contactless smart card, then the conductive structures of the carrier comprise at least those structures which are provided for the purpose of connection to an antenna which is arranged outside the chip module, put more precisely, to an antenna integrated in the smart card body.
In order to protect the chip, as a rule a stiffening frame, which surrounds the the chip and is normally metallic, is bonded onto the carrier and filled with a compound protecting the chip and the bonding wires (against mechanical damage and against optical analyses).
The finished chip module is finally inserted (implanted) into an appropriate cut-out in a smart card body, which results in the production of a smart card that is ready to use.
If the smart card to be produced is a smart card provided with contacts, then the implantation of the chip module into the smart card body can be performed merely by means of mechanical joining (bonding) of chip module and smart card body. Chip modules designed for such applications specifically contain, as has already been mentioned above, not only the chip itself but also the contact areas (surface contacts) located on the outside on the finished smart card, so that no electrical connection is necessary between the chip module and the smart card body.
If the smart card to be produced is a smart card which can be operated without contact, then the implantation of the chip module into the smart card body requires, in addition to the mechanical joining of chip module and smart card body, also an electrical connection of the same (in order to connect an antenna that is integrated in the smart card body to the chip contained in the chip module).
Experience has shown that, so far, contactless smart cards are not usable at all or usable only to a limited extent.